Review

Song Review: J.Y. Park, Stray Kids, ITZY & NMIXX – Like Magic

Posted on by 16 Comments

J.Y. Park, Stray Kids, ITZY & NMIXX - Like MagicThe JYP family has joined forces for a song advertising Coca-Cola because… why not? Patriarch J.Y. Park has written a real Frankenstein of a track that somehow fails to utilize any of the artists’ skills while digital artists work overtime to jarringly place them within expensive, virtual reality landscapes.

None of this makes me thirsty for Coca-Cola, which has to be a fail on some level. Instead, Like Magic has me wondering how its various segments fit together. Parts are drum-and-bass inflected while others have a more measured stomp. And then, there’s that weirdly empty drop chorus. This segment lands like a turd, for lack of a more eloquent descriptor. Or to put it in soft drink terms, it’s that moment you open a can only to realize it’s been depressurized and the contents have gone totally flat. Bummer.

There are moments within Like Magic that show promise. The layered post-chorus feels like the basis for a completely different (much better) track, while J.Y. Park’s overwrought bridge brings a welcome sense of drama. But much of the song feels strangely off-key, as if it’s trying to force together clashing voices and production flourishes. Twice were wise to stay out of this one.

Hooks 7
 Production 7
 Longevity 8
 Bias 7
 RATING 7.25

Grade: C

16 thoughts on “Song Review: J.Y. Park, Stray Kids, ITZY & NMIXX – Like Magic”

  3. The chorus sounds like something I can easily make on BandLab or smth 😭 But the song’s cute though, but not something I’d play too often. Rating for me is the same.

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  4. Basically, the obligatory ad song. Pack it up, bois, nothing to see here (JYP part goes kinda hard tho. I wish it was used in other song)

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  5. The actual vocal performance is fine but the mismatch between the pitch of the vocals and that instrumental is actually making me feel physical anxiety. Like the way infrasound supposedly causes ghost sightings or something. New marketing tactic? 😅

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  8. What makes me sad about this, is there was some potential here and I don’t hate it, but the whole support of Coca-Cola throws me off because as a company they are actively supporting a genocide… surely we could’ve gotten a good JYPE family sing without actively supporting a genocide… I mean the cover they did of that one song that one time was really good

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  10. I’m a MIDZY but in all honesty, ITZY really downed the vocals of this song 😅 I think NMIXX and Stray Kids should have taken the helm with this one. JYPe artists probably are one of the idols with great individuality but damn did this song washed out their personalities… How in the world did JYP composed this song, this is supposed to be his Michael Jackson and the Western crowd moment with a big brand like Coca Cola. I’m honestly confused he didn’t go all out.

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    • thats funny cause as a stay i felt that straykids part weren’t that good and came out mid except for suengmin vocals after nmixx and one time hyujin appear on screen with a sexy vocal… even the usually iconic felix lines felt weak and changbins rap just went through my head without staying…. and didnt even notice the others vocals…. felt girls slayed more and it was a song that was more suitable for them- mostly nmixx (ITZY gives me more mature vibe idky lol)

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  12. Out of all the low-rated songs recently this one takes the cake for me. It manages to sound like and mean (lyrics wise) everything and nothing at the same time. That takes some special kind of magic indeed!

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